Prune-gatherer.



E. E. MACK.

PRUNE GATHERER.

APPLICATION FILED D1509, 1918.

Patented May 5, 1914.

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]?RUNE- GATHERER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1914.

Application filed December 9, 1913. Serial Nd. 805,553.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, ELMER ELLswonTa-I Maori, a citlzen of the United States, resrd:

ing at Los Gates, in the county ,of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Prune-Gathercrs, of which the follo wing'is a specification.

My invention relates to prune gat-herers, and the object thereof is to provide a prune gatherer which will not bruise or injure the prunes while being .gathered from the ground. My prune gatherer is. so formed that the points of the bent'rods arebent downward and enter the ground below the.

prunes, thereby gathering the prunes into the receptacle formed by said bent rods without injury.

Another object is to combine with the bent rods as above described, a receptacle located rearward ofthe bent down points of the rods, said receptacle forming a pocket into which the prunes are gathered and'retained until a sufficient quantity has been gathered,

when the same are deposited a box preparatory to being taken to a debris separator where the prunes are separated from any.

debris that might have been gathered, therewith.

Broadly my'invention consists in providing a prune gatherer wherein the-ends of the bent rods have such curved points bending downward and projecting into the ground when the prune ga-th'erer is being used, these curved points will extend below the ground surface while the receptacle rests upon the ground surface and is drawn along in this manner, the points passing under the prunes and depositing the ripe prunes into the receptacle without injury to the same, from which the prunes may bedeposited in a box or other receptacle prepared for that purpose, and other means taken to separate the debris from the prunes.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for efiect-ing the result, reference is to be had tothe following description and drawings hereto attached, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my prune gatherer. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my prune gatherer.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference numerals.

The prune gatherer consists of, a body portion or receptacle having a handle, the

latter being of the required length to obviate stooping of the person when'using the gatherer to pick up prunes and transfer them to a box or other receptacle,

The body portion of the prune gatherer comprises a longitudinal bar 1 made of any suitable material, and a plurality of bent rods shown at 2 connected at their upper ends to bar 1 in any substantial manner. These bent rods 2 may be made of round or fiat'steel wire of the proper length and strength required, bent and formed as shown in the drawings having their lower ends 3 bent downward a distance so as to enter the ground surface below the prunes to be gathered into the receptacle formed by said bent rods 2, which prevents bruising or injuring the prunes while being gathered. Said bent rods 2 pass through and are supported and held in place by longitudinal bars 4, said longitudinal bars 4: are made of flat steel of the proper width, length and thickness, having a plurality of holes bored through the same of the proper size and of the required distance apart to receive th bent rods 2. Vertical rods 5 are shownat one end of said receptacle fastened to said bent rods 2, and are for the purpose of preventing the prunes from escaping from this end of the prune gatherer while said prunes are being gathered. At the other end of the prune gatherer is shown a wire screen door 6 held in place by hinges 7 and spring clasp 8 Fastened to the center of longitudinal bar 1 is handle bar 9 of the required length and\ thickness, having a handle at its outer end as shown atlO. On the under side of said\ handle 10 is fastened bell crank releasing lever 11. Attached to said lever 11 is Wire cord 12 passing through eye-bolts 13, 14, and 15, and'connecting with spring clasp 8.

The operation of my prune gather-er is as follows :The ground under the trees is smoothed previous to the falling of the v prunes, my invention is placed on the surface of the ground'with curved points 3 prunes to run i into the box-prewar id for ll purposc the prone gathcror 15: in bro L. the grounrl lho weight of door (2 up some and .jpi'ing 'g) 8 locks the, door (3 in. place.

Having thus described my invention, What claim as now and desire to SQCLU'E; by Let- :h l 'Cll thereto forming 11 l'ccepiaclea said be? t rods h. wing their outer ends hoot om.-

L Word a distance longitudinal 1m 1's liming 2L in tho pike plurality of holes bored therethrough to recoho suidhent rods and hold said bent rods 'lln-miuo' 4 l receptacle in position when il'asi'one l thereto, vertical rods fastened to one end of said bent rods forming said ireccpl'ach :1 wire ECI'OLH door hinged. the other end of said receptacle having a. clasp to hold the same dosed, a handle bar h: wing a handle at iils outer end a hell crank releasing lo! '7 ha Vlll :2, Wii cord attached thereto, said (O1(l owing through eye-halts and 'ng with ping 01115198,sul..islmili:1lly as shown and described.

in lwlimon y whereof I :IlllX my signature r-mre of two witi'iesses.

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